


Measure of Peace

by eerian_sadow



Category: Final Fantasy IV
Genre: Community: springkink, Friends With Benefits, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-11-03
Updated: 2008-11-03
Packaged: 2018-09-21 14:44:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 396
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9553253
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eerian_sadow/pseuds/eerian_sadow
Summary: Cecil isn't doing a great job of coping with Kain's betrayal and Rosa's kidnapping. Edward tries to help.





	

Edward found him huddled in a corner of the palace basement, bereft of armor and weapons, crying out of the sight of the others. It was a long moment before he even realized that the white haired man in the wine cellar was the Dark Knight he was looking for. He had never seen Cecil look so sorrowful—so broken—even when Rosa was dying of the fever and he hadn’t known if there was a cure.

Edward did him the service of scuffing his feet when he came into the room. Cecil’s head shot up and he wiped away his tears hastily.

“Did you need something?” the Dark Knight asked, his commander’s face falling back into place.

“We were worried.” The young king sat down next to him. “I thought someone should look for you. Are you all right?”

“What?”

“I asked if you were all right. I thought it was a fairly straightforward question.” Edward wrapped a comforting arm around Cecil. “There is no shame in showing your grief, you know.”

“I don’t have time for grief. I don’t have that luxury.” Despite his protest, Cecil leaned into Edward’s embrace.

“We have all night,” the king replied. “The ship departs in the morning; you can be strong then. You can grieve for the friend who has betrayed you and the lover who was taken from you tonight. No one else need ever know.”

“Grown ups don’t cry,” Cecil told him, repeating the words Rydia had said in the castle after Anna died in his arms.

“Only because we don’t want the children to ask uncomfortable questions. Please, Cecil. I can’t just leave you down here like this.”

“I’m tired of crying,” the other man confessed. “I’m tired of being angry and confused. I’m tired of being alone. I just want to sit down with the woman I love and have some measure of peace in my life.”

Edward almost flinched at the anguish in Cecil’s eyes. His heart ached to see it and he wanted very desperately to take it away. “I cannot be Rosa,” he said softly. “But I can try to help you find enough peace to sleep through the night.”

Cecil didn’t argue when Edward pressed a gentle kiss to his trembling lips. As the knight fisted his shirt in strong hands, the king wondered if he was betraying Anna’s memory.  



End file.
